Helen Maroulis, who captured America’s heart by winning gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics, two-time World silver medalist Alli Ragan and U.S. World Team member Tamyra Stock will compete for Team USA against Team Nigeria at the annual Beat the Streets Benefit, May 17 at Pier 17/Seaport District in lower Manhattan.

Maroulis, who will be making her sixth straight Beat the Streets (www.btsny.org) appearance, has a perfect 5-0 record in BTS competition and recently joined the staff as a Student-Athlete Mentor and Coach Educator. Her gold medal match victory came at 53kg against Japanese superstar Saori Yoshida, as Maroulis became the first American to win a gold medal in women’s wrestling. A Rockville, Md., native, Maroulis is also a two-time World champion and now lives and trains in New York.

Ragan, who has made five straight U.S. Senior World Teams, placed second in the Worlds the past two years while also winning the Pan American Championships in 2017. She is also a two-time U.S Open. Champion, a two-time Junior World medalist and two-time WCWA women’s college national champion at King University. The Carbondale, Ill., native now lives in Colorado Springs, Colo. and Iowa City, Iowa.

Stock, the reigning 2017 U.S. World Team Trials champion, also won the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials but did not compete in Rio because the U.S. did not qualify at her weight. She became the first American athlete to win back-to-back golds in the prestigious Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix in Russia. She won two WCWA titles for Wayland Baptist University. The Katy, Texas, native (nee Mensah) now resides in Colorado Springs, Colo.

“There is no greater American champion than Helen Maroulis, and we’re excited that she is making yet another appearance at Beat the Streets Annual Benefit,” said Brendan Buckley, Executive Director, Beat the Streets Inc. “Combined with her new, formal role with BTS New York, Helen is making a difference in the lives of young wrestlers, and this event will be another opportunity for fans to see her in action on the mat.”

Nigeria is the first African nation to compete at a Beat the Streets Benefit. The opponents from Nigeria for the U.S. trio will be as follows:

57 kg - Helen Maroulis vs. Odunayo Adekuoroye

59 kg - Alli Ragan vs. Bisola Makanjuola

68 kg - Tamyra Stock vs. Blessing Oborududu

Maroulis faces one of the most successful and popular athletes on Team Nigeria. Adekuoroye was a 2017 World silver medalist and 2015 World bronze medalist. She competed in the 2016 Olympic Games, and is coming off a gold-medal effort at the Commonwealth Games.

Ragan’s opponent is a rising young talent for Team Nigeria. Makanjuola was a 2018 African champion and won a silver medal at the 2017 African Championships.

Stock faces a veteran star in Oborududu, who competed in both the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. She is an eight-time African Champion, and has also won the All-Africa Games. Like Adekuoroye, Oburududu is fresh off a victory at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The Team USA men and their international opponents will be announced soon.

About Beat the streets

The mission of Beat the Streets is to develop the full human and athletic potential of the urban youth and to strengthen the culture of New York City wrestling. BTSW works directly with the New York City Department of Education in a public-private partnership to help New York City's student-athletes achieve their personal and athletic goals. Through the operation of wrestling programs in middle and high schools in the five boroughs, BTSW and the DOE provide a safe, positive atmosphere in which disadvantaged and at-risk youth can learn the essential life skills of physical fitness, teamwork, and self-empowerment. The goal of fostering strong, dedicated, and optimistic kids is delivered through coaching, after-school programs, and mentoring. More information can be found at www.btsny.org.